In the Shadows~zayn au~Completed ✅EDITING

~Chapter 59: Helpless~

Surprise update!! That's two in less than a week! How much do you love me? You love me a lot, right? Kidding. Anyway. They're talking with Thomas in the next chapter and I might even post that later tonight... later this morning? Regardless, I have most of it written and I just need to edit it. I'm really excited for all the developments that are coming; I hope you guys are too!! 

Zayn returned that evening, obviously inebriated. He hiccupped the minute he stepped into the room, giggled about it, and almost tripped over his own feet. By some unimaginable feat he managed to enter the room, close the door behind him, and slide to the ground.

She wasn't sure how to take this. The fact that he was drunk irritated her, but she couldn't very well be angry at him anymore. She would hear his side of things instead.

He stood and stumbled toward where she was sat on the bed. He tripped over his own feet again and fell to the ground to which she gave an exasperated sigh and lay back down.

"What did I trip over?" he complained petulantly. "Did you leave your shoes on the ground? Or is there a rug here?"

"Are you blind as well as flushed, you jackass? You tripped over your own feet."

"No, I doubt it," he grumbled from his spot on the floor. He heaved a breath and stood, moving toward the bed. As he collapsed he groaned, probably because Velian mattresses were about as comfortable to collapse on as the floor. "These stingy, backwards, uneducated..." His stream of insults faded out and he rolled over to where she was, grabbing her and pulling her up so that her head rested on his chest.

"I didn't think Velia would allow the consumption of alcohol," Kalysta commented lightly.

"Mahir brought some with him," Zayn laughed. "And don't sound so disapproving. As I recall, you posed as a serving wench and distributed alcohol."

Kalysta wasn't going to rise to his provocation, as he so clearly wanted. Sloshed Zayn was even more maddening than she could have imagined, but that didn't change the fact that she needed to apologize. She'd said some harsh, poorly-thought words.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, wrapping her arm around his torso.

"That's quite alright," he replied, genial in his befuddled state. "I have had a bit much to drink." He chuckled and sighed.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier," she clarified. "I shouldn't have called you apathetic, or insinuated such things. We come from very different upbringings and sometimes I forget that." She waited for his response.

"That's quite alright."

His repetition and quick dismissal didn't help them resolve the conflict, but then she doubted he would remember much of anything in the morning. She simply kissed his neck and tried to squeeze in closer. She ended up half perched over his body and he sighed.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I quite enjoy the feeling of you against me. However, I am unable to do anything about it."

Kalysta was confused. "But I'm already here."

"Yes, but I find myself incapable of rising to the situation. What a sad predicament. You were so willing to partake in certain... activities earlier and I am more disposed to the idea at the moment. Alas, I am betrayed by the vice of the brew. I'm simply unable."

She was stunned, blushing madly at what he was circumspectly admitting. There was no way any man would declare such an issue normally, and the thought made her laugh.

"It is for the best, I surmise," he continued, his voice a rumble in the ear she had pressed against his chest. "The drink brings out the worst in me, I fear."

"I'm not so sure," she teased. "All I've heard so far is philosophy."

"Don't tempt me," he joked back. He poked her side, kissed her head and then was still.

It had only been a minute before a soft snore resonated from him. The man had actually fallen asleep!

She got up and placed the chair in front of the door so they'd have a bit of warning before someone entered the room. Then she lay down next to Zayn again. Sleep proved to be much more elusive for her, however.

--- --- --- --- --- ---

The morning came with the arrival of Louis in their room, which was fortunate since Kalysta was not nearly as responsive to someone's entrance as she had hoped. She sat up quickly when she heard a noise, but he was in the room before she could get out of the bed and keep anything from looking suspicious.

Louis gave her an annoyed look. "Yes, because a chair was going to deter anyone." His voice became even more mocking somehow. "Oh no, there's piece of furniture in my way, I obviously can't come in."

"I think I liked my life better when you weren't in it," Kalysta admitted.

"I think both of you should shut your yaps and let me get some sleep," Zayn groaned.

"How pissed did you get? Bin that; you were drinking and didn't invite me?"

"I figured you'd be busy." Zayn turned over and put a pillow over his head.

"Get up, both of you," Louis commanded. "Or have you forgotten you're to meet with King Thomas privately later today?"

Zayn gave another groan in protest, but sat up anyway. "I didn't sleep the best. Someone we know moves around a lot in their sleep."

"Oh come off it," Kalysta complained. "You were like a blasted fire over there and you insisted upon sleeping on me."

"Enough, we need to discuss what we're going to talk about with Thomas." Louis was having none of it. "Oh, Zayn, was there something in particular that you wanted to broach on the subject?"

"Sod off, Louis," Zayn warned.

"Thomas seems so hostile already," Kalysta observed sadly. "I'm not sure there's anything I could say that would change his mind."

"If that's the way you feel then perhaps we shouldn't meet with him at all," Zayn offered.

"How can you say that?" Kalysta couldn't believe her ears. "We traveled this far and you're willing to leave without even talking to him seriously?"

"I'm simply saying that wasting time at this juncture may not be fortuitous."

"Absolutely not," she responded angrily, standing from the bed and moving to wash her face in the water basin by the door. "We have one ruler on our side and that's all we have. We need Thomas to agree; I'm not above begging. Besides, what would we do if we went back now?"

"We would continue our next plan, going through the motions of the marriage treaty until we can gain further help from the other nations."

"I'm not falling back on that until we have no one else to turn to."

"Very well." Zayn sighed, standing as well. "What's your plan for talking to him then?"

"I was actually hoping you two would help with that."

Louis snorted.

"Is something funny?" Zayn rounded on him.

"No, no, of course not," Louis answered quickly. "Listen, Princess, your best option is to tell him the truth. You are here seeking help because Murdoch is threatening Elysium. If he isn't willing to help then you've done what you can."

"I despise being so pathetically helpless."

"It's a sad fact of life that we are all helpless before someone," Zayn said quietly.

A/N: Okay, but seriously. Any ideas what Zayn is keeping a secret from Kalysta? Guess guess!

As always, PLEASE vote and comment. I will love you all forever if you do one or both (do both).

All the love, 

~Kari~